Intelligent Social Media Monitoring

Social media performance is important for any brand, but for sponsors it can be essential.

The presence on the sponsor’s social media channels as well as on the channels of the clubs and associations is tantamount to a permanent activation of the commitment, which also reflects information and reactions to the sponsorship in real time.
Adequate monitoring of these activities is therefore all the more important:

WHAT IS TRACKED?

impact&emotions analyses all brand-related posts in general as well as the buzz on social media that is clearly related to the brand’s sponsorship engagement. This allows us to contrast how sponsor-related posts compare to general posts. How much can user engagement be increased if the post is thematically related to the sponsorship platform?

WHAT ARE OTHERS SAYING ABOUT MY BRAND?

We also take into account the numerous posts by social media users on non-company social media sites (earned media share), whose feedback is valuable and important for the sponsor.
For example, not only are all posts on the sponsor’s country-specific channels tracked, but also club pages and general user buzz on social media.

WHAT IS THE SENTIMENT?

Using AI, impact&emotions also performs a semantic analysis of all posts, so that the monitoring also functions as an early warning system. In this way, we capture the mood and can counteract undesirable developments in individual markets or among specific interest groups in good time.

SOCIAL MEDIA PERFORMANCE KNOWS NO NATIONAL BOUNDARIES

With monitoring, we are able to make a country-specific distribution that is in line with the sponsor’s future strategy. At the same time, we take into account cultural peculiarities such as linguistic double interpretations or spellings, which can also be decisive for the sponsorship strategy.

WHICH PLATFORMS?

The analysis of the respective social media platforms are subject to different restrictions, but we currently recommend tracking on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok.

Do you know which of your company’s channels is the most important among sponsorship influencers?

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E-SPORTS – professional computer gaming

The growing importance of E-Sports is increasingly becoming the focus of public attention and is now also being discussed more intensively at trade fairs and congresses in the entertainment industry. According to a national representative survey by impact&emotions, the general interest in E-Sports among the German population is already at 22% (Top-2-Box; interested or very interested; as of 2018). Experts and managers also agree that E-Sports will play one of the leading roles in the entertainment industry in the future.

“Sports” in the genre name always triggers lively discussions. Whether it is really about sport or not, as it is the case with darts or poker, is controversial and even in the youngest group questioned between 14-19 years, E-Sports is only regarded as a sport by 25%. Likewise a clear majority of all asked ones expresses itself against an admission of E-Sports in the canon of the Olympic games.

However, it is becoming increasingly apparent that E-Sports are in competition with classic sports in terms of entertainment appeal and the corresponding advertising budgets. The reorientation of advertising companies in this respect is sometimes at the expense of considerably more well-known rights. For example, McDonald’s terminated its cooperation with the German Football Association at the end of 2018 in order to be able to concentrate more on E-Sports. The logistics subsidiary of Deutsche Post, DHL, has also made positive experiences as a sponsor of the organiser of E-Sports tournaments ESL (Electronic Sports League). A comparison of the image of ESL, the largest organiser of tournaments and leagues of various gaming platforms in the field of E-Sports, and the DFB carried out by impact&emotions shows that this strategy makes sense.

While the most common association with the DFB is “traditional”, followed by “stands for quality” and “emotional”, respondents associate the ESL with “dynamic”, “innovative” and primarily the attribute “young”. If one observes the mood and atmosphere, especially at E-Sports live events, it can be assumed that going forward the emotional component oft E-Sports will also come increasingly to the foreground. As a result, there will certainly be other prominent imitators who hope to address the target group of young people under 25 in the media through the E-Sports platform.

The efforts of many Bundesliga clubs maintaining their own E-Sports teams show that this does not necessarily have a cannabalising effect on classic sport and especially football. Werder Bremen, RB Leipzig, VfL Wolfsburg or – most established and best-known – FC Schalke 04 are just a few examples of football clubs with their own E-Sports teams that have already achieved considerable success in international competitions. If the clubs manage to integrate their teams successfully and above all authentically into their club life and brand, both E-Sports and classical sports benefit thereof immensely.

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Black Friday – When the bargain hunters get into shopping mood

A Big Data analysis by impact&emotions analysed the behaviour patterns of consumers on Black Friday. The marketing measure established in the USA has also convinced more and more German retailers in recent years. Five years ago, there were still great reservations in Germany that this discount campaign would counteract their own Christmas business. And wrongly so – as the impact&emotions study with Respondi’s big data tool “Digital Life Board” shows.

Instead of a self-disclosure, the Digital Life Board determines the recorded behaviour of people and records the use of websites, apps and search terms with time and duration and key figures of the digital advertising measurement. These behavioural indicators were evaluated by impact&emotions in relation to other sociodemographic data related to online shopping: a total of 5.7 million page views in three markets (France, Germany, United Kingdom) over a period of 3 months (October, November, December).

In all markets, a noticeable peak can be detected on “Black Friday” and occurs both in the search behaviour and in the purchase transactions. In some cases, online purchases increase by a factor of 2.5. As a result, however, no significant slump in shopping behaviour is discernible. In the days after “Black Friday”, e-commerce is profiting from the Christmas business as usual, and the number of visits to shopping pages and the number of purchase transactions will continue to rise until mid-December. It is only in the last week before Christmas that buying behaviour changes away from online shopping towards classic retail in order to receive the last presents in time for Christmas.

In a closer analysis of the websites it became clear that not all industries are equally in demand. Above all, the pages of fashion labels are used and accessed on Black Friday. There are also country-specific differences. While in France and above all in the UK the dealer sites are targeted, in Germany the most frequently used site with a clearly defined reference to “Black Friday” is MyDealz, followed by amazon.

CONCLUSION:

The “Black-Friday” is also increasingly finding fans in Germany who are willing to buy. A cannibalization effect, on the other hand, cannot be observed. It can be assumed, for example, that if the event becomes increasingly well known, both retailers and buyers will mark the day as a fixed shopping event in their calendars – as was the case in the past, for example, with summer or winter sales in the retail trade.

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New perspectives on the sponsor fit of your product

A classical rule of thumb in marketing conveys “fish where the fish are”. Only the ones addressing their target group are able to communicate the advertising message successfully. As necessary and correct this slogan is in its core, it does leave one important aspect of successful brand communication out of sight:
It is as essential to know, whether the target group in question deals with the marketed product category in the course of the respective sport season.

Therefore, the AdTimer illuminated the topic of sponsoring from an additional angle:
It compares the fit between the interest in the respective product type with the timing of the corresponding sport season.

Taking the engagement in Alpine Skiing by the tire maker Pirelli for instance. On first sight it seems like a good match: winter sports and winter tires – it has been affirmed by multiple surveys of impact&emotions that the target group can be reached with Alpine Skiing.

However, if one compares the course of the season of Alpine Skiing with the searchword “car tire” it shows that the respective season highlights of the FIS (Fédération Internationale de Ski) and the search and buying behaviour of winter tires don’t match from a timely perspective. With the start of the skiing season at the end of November, most winter tires are changed and the purchase decision has long been made. Admittedly, most car drivers start to change their tires for summer at the end of March at the final of the skiing season, but it would be uncommon to advertise summer tires in winter sports.

Whereas it shows that car tires have a better match with respect to the seasonal timing with the sports marathon and triathlon – sports where for instance tire maker Continental is engaged as a sponsor.

Of course, the success of a sponsoring engagement isn’t solely determined by the correct timing. Especially in sponsoring the goal is mostly rather set towards emotionalising a brand and less towards a temporary increase in sales. But the example demonstrates well that the marketing slogan should be extended: Not only “fish where the fish are”, but also “fish when the fish are hungry”. The AdTimer (www.adtimer.eu) helps you with all your seasonal questions for your product.

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High interest in Rolling Stones tickets despite record prices

You can’t always get what you want

According to the current instant•impact of impact&emotions in collaboration with ResearchNow SSI, 8,8% of the 18-64 year-old Germans are fans of the Rolling Stones. A general interest in the cult band around Mick Jagger and Keith Richards is with every fifth German! Accordingly high is also the demand for concert tickets of the two single shows in Germany – despite the record prices of up to 500€ per ticket!
The survey showed that concert audiences of exceptional bands are willing to dig deep into one’s pocket. Ever fourth German would make an exception with the price of a concert ticket for an exceptional band. The proportion is even higher with fans of the Rolling Stones – 62% agree to the statement that exceptional bands are allowed to demand exceptional prices. Regarding, the demand of tickets for the two single shows in Germany is high. Last year the tickets for the three Rolling Stones appearances in Germany were sold out in a minimum of time. In order to get hold of one of the desired tickets, “Bildplus” offered its subscribers a preemptive right. After all 14,2% of the respondents indicated that they willingly accept offers like the one by “Bildplus” in case of special events and a foreseeable shortage of tickets.

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A golden boy for women

At the yearly Acadamy Awards ceremony the world is mesmerised and pays attention to Hollywood.
Pro7 will be broadcasting live from the red carpet for the German audience.
Women generally show a distinct higher interest in the award show than men. Next to the individual winners, the dresses and outfits of the stars are almost equally of interest than the event itself. The provocative statement of the Pro7 commentator and designer Michael Michalsky prior to the event, saying that the Oscars are most of all about the designer fashion, is not precisely confirmed, but it can’t be denied as well.
The concept of the TV channel with Michael Michalsky and Viviane Geppert as commentating fashion experts next to moderator Steven Gätjen reminds of the expert-duos at football internationals and makes according to the survey results quite sense.

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Super bowl – when the half time show is as important as the actual game!

Just imagine, the half time appearance by Helene Fischer were as important as the DFB-cup final.

Just before the grand finale on Sunday the hype around football reaches its peak in Germany as well: The Instant Impact of the market researchers of impact&emotions in collaboration with Research Now SSI shows that the interest of the 18-64-year olds Germans in the Super Bowl lays at 21% immediately ahead of the event. This means that every fifth person is interested in the Super Bowl – an impressive figure for German conditions, which confirms the trend of a growing fan base for American Football in Germany. Likewise the TV channel Pro7 was for the first time able to score with a double digit market share for the broadcast of a football game during prime time ahead of the super bowl.

Fascinating here is the lived event character of the Super Bowl spectacle from the beginning: The interest in the legendary half time show is as high as the interest in the game itself. Thus the super bowl is more than a sporting event in Germany as well. In comparison it is hard to imagine that the appearance by Helene Fischer during the halftime break of the past DFB cup final receives the same importance as the game itself. After all the football/soccer fans reacted unenthusiastic when the DFB tried to enable a similar event character with the appearance of the folk singer during the half time show.

At the Super Bowl the whole concept is followed with high interest. Even the specifically and elaborately staged commercials of advertising companies reach an interest base of 19% of all 18-64 year olds.

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Emotionalisation of brands

How Sponsoring can influence the purchase decision

On April, 23rd 1990 – the shortly following world cup triumph was still to happen – Mercedes-Benz and the german football association DFB sealed a partnership, which celebrates its 25-year existance in this year. Since this day Mercedes-Benz makes its appearance as a general sponsor of the DFB.
Today, 25 years and yet another word cup title later, this relationship is considered one the oldest and most successfull partnerships in german sports.
This fact is also proven by a survey, conducted in 2014 by impact&emotions and MehrSehen°

The surveys target was to investigate the impact of advertising on potential car acquirer to consider a test drive at Mercedes-Benz. Therefore a survey was set up among 500 acquirer of compact- and middleclass cars, who either bought or leased a new car (worth at least 20,000€) in the last 6 month, or who intend to purchase one in the next 6 months.
The results prove, that people aware of the sponsorship engagement of Mercedes-Benz and A-Class in particular share a significantly more positive attitude towards the brand: They are more willing to sign up for a test drive and are a lot more emotionally involved in the brand compared to those who do not have any knowledge of the sponsorship. The willingness to inform about the A-Class as well as the actual purchasing decision is demonstrably positively affected, too.
Remarkably the amount of advertisment perception is actually activating the potential acquirer: the more the advertisement was noticed during the football match, the better the brand was appraised and the higher was the willingness to inform and engage more closely with the A-Class.
The sponsoring had a positive connotation throughout all respondents. It was considered informative and people stated the partners DFB and Mercedes-Benz a good fitting.
Together with the campaign during the national football matches Mercedes-Benz managed to emotionally upvalue the A-Class and presented itself as an emotional carbrand. An excellent example for emotionalisation of brands by advertising and sponsoring.

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LED parameter in winter sports.

High acceptance and evaluation of LED parameter advertising with people interested in winter sports.

While LED parameter advertisements meanwhile belong to a standard in sponsorship packages and stadium advertisements, yet their usage in other sports and competitions has not taken hold or become established respectively. Why it should be switched to LED more consequently especially in winter sports and to what extent the spectators have already gotten used to LED parameter advertising in sports broadcasts, shows a shortly undertaken study by impact&emotions about the past winter sport season 2015/2016.

On average every third surveyed person interested in winter sports stated to have perceived LED-parameter advertising. The proportion of supporters of LED-parameter advertisement that judges their usage as “good” is clearly overwhelming with 77% (Top-3-Box on a 7-point-scale). Equally as large with 70% (Top-3-Box) is the proportion of people that find advertisements on LED-boards more appealing than on static boards.
At the same time the positive effects are transferred to advertisers and sponsors. The subjectively received advertising effect is reported more effectively: 77% of respondents (Top-3-Box) have stated that sponsors on LED-parameter advertisements are recognised more likely than on normal, static perimeter advertisements, while at the same time only one third of the respondents perceive them to be disturbing or distracting from the actual competition.

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Positive evaluations of winter sports by consumers of wheat beer

Erdinger, Veltins, König Ludwig Weißbier… beer sponsors have a long tradition in winter sports and as impact&emotions is able to testify, this does suit the taste of the target group.
Above all, wheat beer breweries have chosen a good starting position to establish their brand image with their sponsorships in winter sports.
The target group of wheat-bear-drinkers shows itself to be noticeably interested in winter sports and its special disciplines and generally outscore the values of comparable nationwide representative studies. The positive evaluation also mirrors itself in a more positive image. Consumers of wheat beer assign a sophisticated and premium image to winter sports.
This matter of fact can also be observed by implication: Within the group of winter sport-interested one can identify a significantly higher amount of wheat beer consumers as well: almost every other German respondent whose interest in winter sport is ‘very-strongly’ drinks wheat beer several times a month (49%).

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